Mgr Martinelli supports rebels’ good intentions in building the new Libya

Currently in Italy for health reason, the bishop of Tripoli will return to Libya on Thursday where he hopes to meet the rebel leader. Mustafa Jalil says the country’s new order will be inspired by Sharia but will be against Islamic extremism. Amnesty International accuses the rebels of serious human rights violations.

Tripoli (AsiaNews) – “We must back the rebels’ good intentions rather than take their words to extremes,” said Mgr Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli. He spoke to AsiaNews about the recent speech made today in Tripoli, by Mustafa Abdel Jalil, president of Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC).

Speaking before a crowd of thousands of people, the NTC leader said the new state would be inspired by Sharia but would not move towards extremism.

Despite concerns by some experts about Islamist risks in the country, Mgr Martinelli believes that Jalil “is a man of good will, willing to move the country towards a new future.”

In Italy for health reason, the prelate plans to go back to Tripoli on Thursday. “I hope to meet rebel leaders very soon to see what the new Libya will look like,” he said.

In the meantime, the country is still far from being stable. In Sirte, Bani Walid and the south, fighting is still going on with many civilians caught in the crossfire between pro- and anti-Gaddafi forces.

Today Libya’s former strongman released a new TV message in which he said he would fight until victory.

Tiziana Gamannossi, an Italian businesswoman in Tripoli, said that life was getting back to normal in the capital, but that residents in villages and towns still under siege are not getting any aid. Some reports are saying that civilians are being killed.

“In Tripoli, stores reopened. Water, diesel fuel and bottled gas are available again. People are confident,” she said.

However, the health situation is still bad despite the work of the Red Cross and Doctors without Borders (MSF).

Revenge actions between tribes and families are still out of control and are causing many victims.

Today Amnesty International released a report accusing the rebels of serious human rights violations against Gaddafi loyalists.

The report also refers to the lynching of black Africans suspected of being mercenaries hired by Col Gaddafi, as well as revenge killings and the torture of some captured pro-Gaddafi soldiers.

The NTC has criticised the Amnesty report, saying that rebels “are not the military, they are only ordinary people," who made mistakes, but that these could not be described as "war crimes”.

According to Gamannossi, an international force should be deployed to stop the spiral of violence that is devastating many families. However, the rebels have rejected that idea so far. (S.C.)

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Mgr Martinelli supports rebels’ good intentions in building the new Libya Middle East Currently in Italy for health reason, the bishop of Tripoli will return to Libya on Thursday where he hopes to meet the rebel leader. Mustafa Jalil says the country’s new order will be inspired by Sharia but will be against Islamic extremism. Amnesty International accuses the rebels of serious human rights violations.

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